Opinion Match day experience

[Sensible Cat]

yeah the biggest issue I have with any of this whole "match day experience" crap is just how artificial it all feels. I know it has been mentioned about US sports, I was watching the Sixers before and they constantly have music, dance cam, giveaways etc etc... but the game also stops every 2 mins it seems for breaks, challenges, time outs etc etc... they NEED to keep the crowd going, add to it the fact that they have grown up on it, they love getting on the camera as it is all they have known and all game long they are a chance to get there, win something, catch a t-shirt etc

but our game is so so different, the game is effectively non stop for 30 min blocks, we don't need anything to fill the gaps.. the game is the entertainment and that should be the main point, secondly because the dance stuff feels so forced we push back against it and no one is interested.. which makes it even worse when the MC bellows about how everyone get up and dance.. and 3 people per bay do it.

At the end of the day, like everything else.. the club/league doesn't give a single fu** about what the actual fans think, and they want to be like American sports so it will just keep getting shoved down our throats

Would be interesting to see if all the Top40 music comes from the same group of record companys.
I have a feeling it would. And that would be why the throat shoving.
I've got a feeling at Marvel too with the players favourite songs a player would say Uncontrolled Anus Violation and the AFL would be How about some Jimmy Barnes?
Yes Working Class Man. That's owned by the Universal music group etc. That's your favourite song

 

[Partridge]

That Goodes thing had everything to do with the fact that the issue had come to massive head that week and both sides had come down hard on it in the lead up. I was at that game, you could tell there were some people who very much wanted to boo but were concerned that they would be pretty much jumped on.

Kolo towelled him up that night and every touch from Kolo got too much rapturous applause.

I remember that very well, although most analysis completely overlooked how good a game he played.

Not quite sure how you can have too much applause for one of your own players - and a very inexperienced one at that point - when he completely nullifies an opposition threat.

 

[iameviljez]

I remember that very well, although most analysis completely overlooked how good a game he played.

Not quite sure how you can have too much applause for one of your own players - and a very inexperienced one at that point - when he completely nullifies an opposition threat.

Agreed, bad wording. What I mean is that every time Goodes was beaten in a contest, the cheers were huge, as proxy for booing. It wasn’t just cheers for Kolo, it was delight that Goodes was beaten.

 

[iameviljez]

Would be interesting to see if all the Top40 music comes from the same group of record companys.
I have a feeling it would. And that would be why the throat shoving.
I've got a feeling at Marvel too with the players favourite songs a player would say Uncontrolled Anus Violation and the AFL would be How about some Jimmy Barnes?
Yes Working Class Man. That's owned by the Universal music group etc. That's your favourite song

Uncontrolled Anus Violation sounds like it would be appropriate at half the Eagles games this year

 

[Partridge]

Agreed, bad wording. What I mean is that every time Goodes was beaten in a contest, the cheers were huge, as proxy for booing. It wasn’t just cheers for Kolo, it was delight that Goodes was beaten.

Given he was the opposition, I absolutely was delighted he was beaten.

 

[iameviljez]

Given he was the opposition, I absolutely was delighted he was beaten.

Sure, but you know it was much more than that.

 

[Spearman]

The points given about US sports are accurate IMO. NFL and MLB have a lot of short and long lulls in large stadia that need filling. NBA goes for saturation since they are in arenas. You can't have the school band playing something at every stoppage. Works great in NCAA. Also remember it is an American trait to be loud and crass.
I think soccer might give a better example of how it could be done, though I don't watch it. I suppose Euro is different from S.Am.

 

[Partridge]

Sure, but you know it was much more than that.

Only to people who presume to know what others are thinking at all times.

 

[Seeds]

Lotta old man yelling at cloud at the moment..

Atleast we are yelling.

about time the youth started yelling at games too.

but the youth are against yelling. As per their fondness for use of memes that mock old men yelling.

 

[Seeds]

Agreed, bad wording. What I mean is that every time Goodes was beaten in a contest, the cheers were huge, as proxy for booing. It wasn’t just cheers for Kolo, it was delight that Goodes was beaten.

You mean like when selwood gets cheered by the opposition everytime he stuffs up.

 

[Partridge]

You mean like when selwood gets cheered by the opposition everytime he stuffs up.

And every other star player on every opposition team since footy was invented. Ablett junior got booed more than any other player on the field that I can remember, and he was the absolute epitome of a ball player. Didn't seem to bother him mysteriously enough.

 

[Vdubs]

I go to the footy to watch the footy. To enjoy the kicking and running and the marking. I have rarely seen this artifical stuff work well at Geelong.... I remember one game years ago..when they tried to get Barry Crocker to sing... talk about a Barry Crocker. I can live with songs after a goal but in truth most arn't relevant or appropriate. These superficialities detract rather than enhance. "Match day experience" ? Do they really want to make it something that you have to endure to go to the football? Most of these things turn a day at the footy as something trending to the artificial. I prefer just the real thing.... Maybe they should try that as a song if not a principle to act on.

Agreed, and this can be extended to GF's. So much rubbish $ and time spent on pre game and half time "entertainment" and it rarely works.

 

[iameviljez]

Agreed, and this can be extended to GF's. So much rubbish $ and time spent on pre game and half time "entertainment" and it rarely works.

Makes for a good sport though: how shit is the entertainment this year?

 

[stevothedevo]

Bad taste in music aside and regarding lack of atmosphere at KP I've had a deep dive into this. I'd almost call it a thesis. Almost..

OK, so when did this lack of home crowd enthusiasm all start? I'm narrowing it down to the mid/late nineties. I'm saying this cause I distinctly remember my uncle commenting on how unenthusiastic the crowd had become when Geelong run out through the banner. Golf claps come to mind. So from here I'll do point form presentation on why I believe things went quiet down at Kardinia Park.

*1990's - Moving the cheer squad from the city end back to the old river end Hickey Stand: My memory of the Hickey Stand was it had an atmosphere all to it's own. The oohs and arrhs in a dramatic last quarter would echo across the ground as well as their GEEELOONG chat. Throwing in another group of cheering supporters kinda made the rest of the Hickey Stand have to follow their lead. I don't think they liked it.

*1990's - The half arsed attempts of transforming standing to seating: I'm talking Ford Stand, the glassing in of sections of the Jack Jennings Stand, the plastic seats that each year ate away at the standing room sections. These were all done, not to add capacity, but to add revenue. And by doing so also took away crowd noise. Grandma Wilma from Warrnambool got comfortably quiet surrounded by her grandkids and son in law whereas boisterous Billy from Belmont who might only go 3 times a year got locked out with his mates. So they went to the pub.

*2000's - The building of stands that are either not big enough (Moorabool St wing) or just an acoustically incorrect design (all the other new stands): Moorabool St aside, all KP's new stands have a larger ground floor than the top floor. This means sound is more easily able to travel up into the air rather than across the ground. Compare the GABBA or the MCG where stands are quite steep. Meaning sound will likely travel across and echo back again.

*2000's - Lack of standing room under bleachers of new stands: Standing room at the 'G' is one of the nosiest places you could ever watch footy. It's probably why Docklands lacks atmosphere too cause of it's lack of standing room.

Lastly there's the idea that Geelong supporters are just generally quieter than everyone else. That's a study on it's own. Are regional people more laid back than city folk. Perhaps? Geelong crowds at the 'G' seem to hold there own. The Geelong chant has cried out over the Southern Stand for decades. Are they mostly Melbourne living Geelong supporters or are the ones who travelled up the highway now out of their comfort zone, prepared to unleash?

With the final piece of KP's master plan to be completed next season, all of this meddling might be undone and my uncle can finally smile again as his team runs out onto the ground.

 

[darren forssman]

Drive a suburb across to the Upfield line

Any potential PT benefits will be offset sitting in the car idling down Bell!!

 

[iameviljez]

Lastly there's the idea that Geelong supporters are just generally quieter than everyone else. That's a study on it's own. Are regional people more laid back than city folk. Perhaps? Geelong crowds at the 'G' seem to hold there own. The Geelong chant has cried out over the Southern Stand for decades. Are they mostly Melbourne living Geelong supporters or are the ones who travelled up the highway now out of their comfort zone, prepared to unleash?

I think you inadvertently bring up another question: is it a bit quieter now everywhere, or is it just Geelong? (or is it all just our memories being a bit selective)?

I do think there are a number of factors that are common across the whole league:

• The death of Standing Room
• The steep drop in average BAC for the footy-goer
• The changing social attitudes toward really boisterous "characters"

I disagree about Docklands, though. 40,000 at the MCG is shit. 40,000 at the Docklands is a great experience.

 

[stevothedevo]

I think you inadvertently bring up another question: is it a bit quieter now everywhere, or is it just Geelong? (or is it all just our memories being a bit selective)?

I do think there are a number of factors that are common across the whole league:

• The death of Standing Room
• The steep drop in average BAC for the footy-goer
• The changing social attitudes toward really boisterous "characters"

I disagree about Docklands, though. 40,000 at the MCG is shit. 40,000 at the Docklands is a great experience.

Yeah my Docklands argument was more based on what I heard from others. The perception I get is it lacks atmosphere. But people can be nit pickers and they're still probably upset that Waverly got sold.

I still genuinely believe KP is quieter though. Too many commentators make mention for it to be selective memories. But they use nice terms like "gee the crowd is subdued"

 

[jazzee]

I'm sure it's been mentioned by others but big thumbs down to membership card via the app, what a pain in the ass. I can't log in, can't reset password, so can't go to the game again. Another overpriced garbage Telstra product.

 

[Finknottle]

It would help if Dangerfield could kick on the run. He either kicks an up and under or scrubs it along the ground. Atkins at least kicks ok but usually straight to the opposition. Geelong look shellshocked. So many fumbles and dropped marks from players like Stewart as well.

 

[catters_28]

Half the problem is that we always play interstate sides or Vic minnows like North. Get a Collingwood or Hawthorn down here and you can't tell me people wouldn't be fired up.

 

[Finknottle]

Given he was the opposition, I absolutely was delighted he was beaten.

Must have been rare day on for Kolo.

 

[kickazz]

I hate it when every empty minute is spent with someone yelling into a microphone. You want to talk to your friends and family, not listed to ads.

That they also did this DURING the game last time ( I wasn't there) is just unacceptable. If they do it next week I will complain formally and so should all of you.

As for atmosphere/crowd? The Geelong crowd is a tough one, not easily pleased. But also as others have mentioned it has been a long time since we have been on an upward trajectory. Early part of this century that was the case, it was exciting and the crowd showed it.

 

[rocker_oz33]

Got picked up at 1pm.
No Trains today replaced bye Buses.
Bus was meant to leave at 1.30.
Was still in Geelong at 2.15pm .
Went to Geelong station to pick up one fooking person ...

So getting there took ages .
Last time I went to marvel it was the U2 gig.
I feel it's dated and not in a good way.

I liked the hand held scanners easy as.

KP need to get some of those .

Pity we lost .
Footy in Melbourne a all day thing .

No wonder some fans don't go .

 

[rocker_oz33]

The week before vs Freo at home the line was held up because people were having trouble scanning their phones .
Dock lands hand held scanners were heaps quicker .

 

[krided]

I'd say the mostly tranquil crowd has something to do with our recent success over the years, people are used to a relatively decent run we've been having and still expect us to keep this consistency.

The crowd hasn't left it's comfort zone because there hasn't been the need to do so, we haven't been a bottom side for how long now?

Why would spectators go apesh*it for every 5 straight goals we bag and win every time against a mid-tier team?

Just take a look at other teams and their crowds that have been spoiled by success, for instance rugby All Blacks, local crowd pales in comparison when playing against an opposing team that's starving for a win.